That's a great question, don't you think? We will answer it in class on Thursday in a (hopefully) fun activity, but to prepare, we should do a little background reading and watching. Read "The Fifties" in Creating America (28-3, pp. 800-803), read over the ABC-CLIO links posted below, and watch the videos below. FOR HOMEWORK, CREATE A LIST (IN YOUR ONLINE NOTEBOOK) OF POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES CONCERNING LIFE IN THE FIFTIES FOR CLASS ON THURSDAY. WE WILL USE IT TO WRITE SOME DIALOGUE ...
Bracero developed, they are people that are temporary worker. They found job working on farm in the Southwest and Midwest.
Eisenhower was elected president; he did did many thing that helped the US. Examples- Kept most of the New Deal, expanded Social Security, increased the minimum wage for worker, created Department of Health/ Education/ Welfare, Highway Act of 1956.
People felt prosperous.
Baby Boom; many people got married and had babies. Population gained 30 million people.
More people moving to warmer states because of population.
People where happy with living in suburbs; as long kids went to good schools and were safe, malls had parking lots that were easy to find and free.
Mid-1950s, American industry was churning out goods for consumers to buy.
Economy was booming. People buying and stores selling.
Hollywood was active.
Rock`n`roll began to grow and kids watched TV shows.
President debates were on TV.
Doctors began to use antibiotics more often in the treatment of disease. This made many previously life-threatening conditions relatively easy to treat. Also, vaccines to prevent such viral illnesses as influenza prevented the epidemics that once devastated populations.
People were getting a more interest in space and trying to get things up there.
November 1958 the United States got the von Braun's Explorer into space.
Negative:
In 1957, nearly one out of every five Americans lived in poverty. Most of it was in the cities.
Taxes raised in the cities .
Many African American and Latinos could not afford homes in the suburbs.
More illegal Mexican began to come to the US.
Bracero developed, they are people that are temporary worker. They found job working on farm in the Southwest and Midwest.
People where forced to fit into the suburban life.
People were pressured to agree with the beliefs and ideas of the majority.
Women were limited to their choices and could not get many jobs.
Less people went to movies theater because of TV.
Less people read because of TV.
The war industries were declining, but the returning soldiers had to be clothed and fed. And these now-grown young men, whether married or not, needed places to live. The whole country experienced a severe housing shortage.
Separate but equal was still the standard in schools and public facilities, but separate was emphasized more than equal
Crime, substandard housing, and race riots afflicted the African Americans and other minorities who remained in the cities, while white families lived more serene lives in the suburbs.
That's a great question, don't you think? We will answer it in class on Thursday in a (hopefully) fun activity, but to prepare, we should do a little background reading and watching. Read "The Fifties" in Creating America (28-3, pp. 800-803), read over the ABC-CLIO links posted below, and watch the videos below.
FOR HOMEWORK, CREATE A LIST (IN YOUR ONLINE NOTEBOOK) OF POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES CONCERNING LIFE IN THE FIFTIES FOR CLASS ON THURSDAY. WE WILL USE IT TO WRITE SOME DIALOGUE ...
The Cold War at Home / The Economy Booms / The Sky is the Limit / Boom-Time for Babies and Houses
Positive:
Negative: